As a college student, being accused of sexual assault can be frightening. Not only are there possible criminal consequences, but your academic future is also on the line. And if you have been falsely accused of sexual misconduct, you may feel even more helpless. Not only is your future endangered, but you know you didn’t do it. In today’s culture and society, situations can be overblown or the worst-case scenario assumed. Victims are often believed before any investigations are completed, which could mean you don’t even get a chance to tell your story. You deserve a chance to prove your innocence.
When your reputation and your future are on the line, do not speak to investigators, campus officials, or the accuser until you secure legal counsel. Find a criminal defense attorney who understands what’s at stake. Call Attorney Andrew H. Stevenson to start defending against false sexual assault accusations.
Sexual assault claims involving college students are handled differently than simple criminal investigations. A single accusation on a college campus usually triggers two completely separate, parallel investigations. Surviving this process requires understanding that you are fighting a war on two completely different fronts, and it is critical to work with a Title IX defense lawyer.
Managed entirely by the university administration, this process determines whether a student can remain enrolled, keep their scholarships, or stay on campus.
Conducted by local law enforcement (such as the Athens Police Department, Lancaster Police, or campus police) and handled by county prosecutors. This track deals with actual criminal penalties, including prison time and mandatory sex offender registration. Criminal courts require proof that goes beyond a reasonable doubt.
Many families mistakenly believe that university proceedings are private or separate from the real world. Unfortunately, Title IX investigations conducted by academic institutions like Ohio University are not isolated from criminal investigations. Statements made to a campus Title IX investigator are not privileged. Local prosecutors can subpoena university records, meaning an unprotected statement given to a dean or a college panel can easily become the state’s cornerstone evidence in a criminal rape prosecution.
Defending against a false sexual assault allegation requires a prompt response, precision, and an aggressive collection of objective evidence. Our firm understands that you cannot sit back and wait to see what the investigators uncover; we actively build a defense to dismantle the narrative against you.
It is completely natural to want to sit down with a dean or an investigator to “clear things up” when you know you did nothing wrong. On a modern college campus, however, that strategy is a trap.
Colleges and universities face intense federal scrutiny and public pressure regarding how they handle sexual misconduct. To shield themselves from institutional liability, campus administrators frequently implement swift interim suspensions or move through proceedings with procedural shortcuts that disregard basic due process.
Attempting to handle this alone causes critical errors. Texting an accuser to ask why they are lying, posting a defense on social media, or allowing well-meaning friends to intervene can easily be spun by investigators into “witness intimidation” or “retaliation,” compounding your problems and adding new code-of-conduct violations to your record.
Modern campus dynamics require a clear-eyed approach to the rules of engagement. Universities in Ohio strictly enforce affirmative consent policies—often described as “yes means yes” rules. Under these guidelines, consent must be an ongoing, active, and mutual decision throughout an entire sexual encounter.
The introduction of alcohol complicates these cases significantly. It is common for a consensual, alcohol-fueled encounter to later be re-evaluated through the lens of regret, fear of social fallout, or parental pressure. Regret, however, is not the same as a crime.
True sexual assault belongs in the criminal justice system, but a young person’s entire future should not be destroyed over a misunderstood, deeply scrutinized college encounter. An experienced defense ensures that a lack of lifetime experience is not weaponized into a permanent scarlet letter.
Discovering that your child has been accused of sexual assault on campus is a terrifying, heart-stopping moment. It is completely natural to feel a mix of panic, anger, and a desperate urge to fix it. However, the steps you take on the first day will heavily dictate their academic survival and legal freedom.
The absolute greatest threat to your child’s case right now is their own phone. Terrified students naturally want to text the accuser to ask why they are doing this, or talk to roommates to clear their name. Stop them immediately.
Do not let your child delete anything out of embarrassment or fear. Tell them to back up their entire digital footprint from the night in question and the days surrounding it.
Your instinct as a parent is to call the Dean of Students, the Title IX Coordinator, or the campus police to demand answers or explain that your child is a good kid. Do not do this.
Do not hire a family law attorney or a general practitioner who handled a real estate closing for you. You need a criminal defense attorney who explicitly understands how the high-stakes criminal justice system intersects with the hyper-specific administrative rules of Title IX.
A university-appointed “advisor” or a well-meaning professor cannot protect your child from a police detective or a grand jury subpoena. Only an independent criminal defense attorney can build a legal shield around them.
These accusations carry immense social stigma and can isolate a student overnight. Many falsely accused students feel hopeless and deeply traumatized by a sudden rush to judgment. Be their emotional anchor. Let them know that you are fighting for them, that a team is being put in place, and that this hurdle can be overcome with the right strategy.
Yes. Because university Title IX panels operate independently of the criminal courts and use a much lower standard of proof, they can legally expel or suspend a student even if the police close the case without filing formal criminal charges.
Do not talk to a Title IX investigator without a defense lawyer present. Title IX investigators are trained to extract statements that can be parsed, taken out of context, and shared directly with law enforcement. Having counsel ensures your rights are protected during interviews.
If you are found responsible for sexual misconduct, most universities will place a permanent notation of suspension or expulsion directly onto your academic transcript. This notation effectively blocks you from transferring to another institution or applying to graduate and professional programs.
Consensual intoxication means an individual has consumed alcohol but still retains the physical and mental capacity to make choices and give consent. Incapacitation means a person is mentally or physically helpless to the point where they can no longer understand the nature of the act or make a rational decision. False accusations often blur this critical boundary.
Yes, but they must be introduced formally, securely preserved, and authenticated according to the specific procedural rules of your university’s conduct board so they are not dismissed or ignored.
University-appointed advisors are fundamentally bound by school policy and are focused on managing institutional liability, not protecting your criminal exposure. A dedicated outside criminal defense attorney answers only to you and shields you across both the academic and criminal tracks.
When a false allegation threatens everything you have worked for, you cannot afford to rely on a general practitioner or an administrative campus advisor. You need a dedicated trial lawyer who knows how to deconstruct institutional bureaucracy and criminal prosecutions alike.
An accusation does not mean a conviction, and it does not have to mean the end of your education. Let an experienced advocate stand between you and the machine.
